Check valve



Jan. 1942. 'r.v A. sr. CLAIR cnscx VALVE Filed June 29. 1939 Patented Jan. 21, 1942` CHECK VALVE Theodore A. st. Clair, Pontiac, Mieli., assigner to IPhillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware `Application June 29, 1939, Serial No. 281,967`

2 claims.

This invention relates to check valves, and, particularly, a valve adapted for use in a fluid pressure regulator.

In the distribution of liquefied petroleum gases by a system, such as the' one disclosed in the copending application of R. W. Thomas, Serial No. 281,969, led June 29, 1939, a springeactuated check valve is employed to prevent loss of gas from the system to the atmosphere whenever a storage container is disconnected for replacement. Such check valves are rather delicate; the spring pressure has to be very light in order to avoid too much pressure drop at low pressures and high rates .of flow; and they are, therefore, subject to occasional back leakage when -an empty container'is disconnected to be replaced by a full one. In the ordinary two-drum system where the distributor takes out the empty container and replaces'it with a full one immediately, this'is of small consequence. However, with the recently developed self-service system, the customer takes the empty container to his retailer and returns some time later with a full one; therefore, any possible leakage is disadvantageous from the viewpoints of economic loss and possible hazard.

An importantpobject of this invention is to provide a positive seating check valve which will give unobstructed ow while open and will be virtually leak-proof when closed.

cone.` Concentric with tube -III is a connector I2 bored to receive tube I0 and havingits lower portion externally threadedl to engage an upper tapped portion of plug member 6. Connector I 2 forces tube I0 against resilient gasket I3 form ing a gas tight connection between tube I0 andl vided With lan inlet port 2| in communication with tube I Il, and with an outlet port 22. Loading compartment 20, which is vented to the at- A further object of this invention is to combine this valve with a uid pressure regulator.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the description and the drawing which represents a vertical cross-section view through the center of a gas pressure regulator illustrating' a preferred embodiment of the present invention gas container is designated by reference numeral I while 2 represents the interior of this container.

sAn annular ring 3 having a shoulder 4 isattached to the container at 5. Ring 3 is tapped to receive a plug member 6 which is drilled and tapped to contain-a valve 1 of the tire valve core type.

-. Directly above tire valve core stem 8 is a push-pin :1 9.. Concentric'with push-pin 9 is a tube ylll which 'is of suicient diameter .inside to provide an annular passageway I I,

; the top and tapered in the manner of a truncated Tube I0 is threaded at mosphere, contains an expansion spring 23. A diaphragm retainer 24 with a threaded connection to body I6 bears upon-diaphragm slip ring 25 which in turn holds diaphragm I8 securely in place. Retainer 24 is so shaped as to provide a circumferential groove 26 into which screws 21 extend holding the cover I1 in place on the regulator body I6, but at the same time allowing cover I1 to be rotated with respect to regulator body I6. Loading compartment 20 is provided with a diaphragm stop 28 for controlling the effective diaphragm area which in turn will control the discharge pressure of the regulator. Diaphragm stop 28 isin threaded engagement with cover I1 and is provided with lugs 29 which are free to move vertically in slots 30,;formed in dlaphragm retainer 24, but which prevent the dithe operation of the one disclosed in the co-pending application of Kenneth R. Lewis, Serial No. 201,581, -led April 12, 1938; its operation is as follows:

The compression spring 23 in loading compartment 20 exerts a pressure upon diaphragm I8. The resulting downward thrust of the diaphragm is transmitted through push-pin 9 and valve stem 8 to tire valve core 1, actuating the same.

High pressure gas in container I passes upwardly through main valve 1, in which its pressure is reduced by throttling action, through the annular passageway II and inlet port 2| to the fluid compartment- I9, and thence out of the fluid compartment through outlet port 22.

Should the pressure in the iluid compartment become excessive, the diaphragm will be forced in an upward direction allowing the push-pin 9 to move upwardly, which in turn will release valve stem 8 allowingv the valve 1 to close. rI'he valve will remain closed until the pressure in the uld compartment falls to a point -where the compression spring is enabled to force the diaphragm and plunger downward reopening the valve. Constant withdrawal of vapor through outlet port 22 usually results in a throttling action by valve 'I to maintain a constant pressure in compartment I9.

Outlet .port 22 is provided with raised nozzle 35 to present a valve seat. Two diaphragm stops 96, Whose tops are on the same level as the top of the nozzle, are provided in the regulator body.

In operation, the pressure in service compartment I9 is normally sulcient to maintain a diaphragm'position as illustrated by diaphragm I8 in the figure. This leaves the outlet port unobstructed, allowing a free flow of gas through the pushing the diaphragm against nozzle and y effectively sealing ofi port 22, thereby preventing gas from entering compartment I9 through port 22 and escaping to the atmosphere through port 2| and annular passageway III The two diaphragm stops 36 are provided to prevent cooking of the diaphragm when it is against the nozzle. Compartment I9 is -always in communication with tube I0 so that when a new cylinder is connected, the gas can readily ow under the diaphragm, forcing the diaphragm upward to its While I have herein described and illustrated, by way o! example, a preferred embodiment off my invention, it is to be understood that va'rldis changes may be made in size, shape, and `arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention as expressed in the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. A iluid pressure regulator comprising a casing, a diaphragm in the casing dening a iluid compartment, a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage communicating with the fluid compartment, a main valve associated with the inlet passage, means in the inlet passage cooperating with the main valve and the diaphragm for opening the main valve upon predetermined movement of the diaphragm in one direction, loading means for normally urging the diaphragm into main valve opening position, and' means limiting extreme movement 'of the diaphragm in the direction of main valve opening position: including a valve seat in the upstream end of the outlet passage to one side of the first mentioned means, said diaphragm serving as a valve to engage the valve seat and close the outlet passage on extreme movement of the diaphragm in main valve opening direction.

- 2. A detachable iluid pressure regulator adapted to be connected to a source of iluid under normal operating position, opening outlet port nozzle, and that the diaphragm could be provided with a valve face or gasket of any suitable material to seat upon the nozzle. Since this valve does not depend upon the force of gravity for its operation, it is evident that it will operate 'equally' well with the regulator in any position.

pressure comprising a casing, a diaphragm in the casing dividing the interior thereof into a iiuid compartment and a loading compartment, a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage in the uid compartment, a main valve associated with the inlet passage, means in the inlet passagevcooperating with the main valve and the diaphragm for opening the valve upon predetermined movement of the diaphragm in one direction, spring means in the loading compartment for normally urging the diaphragm into main valve opening position, and means limiting extreme movement of the diaphragm in the direction of main valve opening position including a valve seat in the upstream end of the outlet passage to one side of the iirst mentioned means, said diaphragm serving as a valve to engage the valve seat and close the outlet passage on extreme movement of the diaphragm in main valve opening position.

THEODORE A. ST. CLAIR. 

